10
Loading video...
By Keagan Stiefel
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
The New England Patriots are ready to commit to cornerback Christian Gonzalez.
Gonzalez, who became extension eligible for the first time this offseason, will now have to decide whether or not he's ready to commit to the club...
The Patriots apparently have an offer firmly on the table, which would not only tie the superstar cornerback to the franchise for years to come but would also pay him quite handsomely.
Read More on NFL
“We love Christian Gonzalez," New England owner Robert Kraft said prior to the club's first training camp practice on Saturday, per video provided by The Athletic's Chad Graff. "We love him as a player. We love him as a person. That’s why we’ve made an offer to him that makes him the highest-paid player ever to play that position in the NFL… It’s the highest-paid contract in Patriots franchise history.”
New England's offer had not previously been reported on, though it presumably had already been made. Gonzalez might not necessarily be in a rush to put pen to paper, though, as there has been an expectation that he would wait until there is a resolution between the Seattle Seahawks and cornerback Devon Witherspoon.
...
Gonzalez and Witherspoon share a representative.
It's been quite the story surrounding the team, but negotiations between the player and organization have been rather civil — head coach Mike Vrabel admitted that they wanted to get him signed as soon as humanly possible, while cornerback Marcus Jones hyped up both sides in a deal that he said he knew would get done — despite the fact that it is a waiting game.
Gonzalez choosing to sign first would almost guarantee that he's quickly surpassed as the highest-paid cornerback in league history. Witherspoon signing first could make it so that offer mentioned by Kraft becomes relatively pointless as there becomes an example to follow for Gonzalez.
If there was ever a point where someone drew a line in the sand, it appears it was Kraft doing so in what was thought to be an innocuous meeting with members of the media at One Patriot Place.
We'll see what it leads to.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines